Chasing Boston

Another year, another ex-Athletic as postseason hero — A’s discard Bobby Kielty homered for what turned out to be the necessary insurance run in Boston’s series-clinching win. Ronnie Mac never looked happier than while getting his red buzz-cut rubbed in the dugout.

It’s the American League’s fifth sweep in the last 10 years, a period in which it’s 9-0-1 in All Star games and 7-3 in the series. The disparity between the leagues is becoming ever more obvious despite outliers like last year’s Cardinals’ win.

A look at the Red Sox — a team that combines the talent-development skills of the A’s and the Indians with the multinational talent-buying power of the Yankees — cannot be producing happy thoughts around the league. In fact, if you’re Billy Beane, you’ve got to be thinking that your team is falling a little further behind every year.